Our Teachers

Jin Suk Seong

Head of School and Co-Lead Teacher

Jin Suk has over a decade of experience as a Montessori teacher. She holds a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Elementary Education from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea, as well as an M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and an M.Ed. in Montessori Early Childhood Education from Oklahoma City University. She also holds an American Montessori Society (AMS) Primary Certificate (ages 3–6).

Jin Suk is deeply interested in children’s thinking and cognitive development. She enjoys observing how children learn and grow through their work and is passionate about creating learning experiences that spark curiosity and support meaningful engagement.

She values the joy children show when they are fully immersed in hands-on learning and finds great fulfillment in supporting their growth and discovery.

Hwalim Kim

Co-Lead Teacher

Hwalim has experience in education across early childhood, elementary, and middle school settings. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Special Education from New York University and an M.Ed. from Harvard University. She also holds an American Montessori Society (AMS) Primary Certificate (ages 3–6) from the Wellan Institute in Massachusetts.

Hwalim is deeply interested in social-emotional learning and character education. Inspired by her experience as a Korean immigrant, she is committed to supporting children’s sense of belonging, identity, and respect for themselves and others. Her work focuses on helping children identify their feelings, understand and manage their emotions, and develop emotional regulation skills.

At Thinking Kids Montessori, Hwalim serves as a lead guide in the primary classroom, supporting children’s independence, growth, and love of learning.